๐จ JUST NOW โผ๏ธ Buffalo Sabres Apparently Lock In Conor Timmins to Massive Four-Year Extensionโฆ Or Did They?
ย In what initially appeared to be breaking NHL news, a viral social media headline claimed that Buffalo Sabres free agent defenseman Conor Timmins had “put pen to paper” on a four-year contract extension, supposedly securing his future with the franchise until the end of who-knows-when.
Sounds exciting, right? Sabres fans flooded comment sections with shock, celebration, and confusion.
Thereโs just one small issue:
That headline isnโt true.
Letโs break it down.
ย The Headline:
โJUST NOW โผ๏ธ Decision finally made: Buffalo Sabres free agent defenseman Conor Timmins has put pen to paper and signed another four-years contract extension. Contracted until the end ofโฆโ
โ The Reality:
- Conor Timmins did sign a contract with the Sabres.
- Itโs not a four-year extension.
- Itโs a two-year deal worth $4.4 million total, signed back in late July 2025.
- Oh, and he wasnโt technically an โunrestricted free agentโ โ he was a restricted free agent (RFA) at the time.
So yes, Timmins is staying in Buffalo for a bit. But no, the situation isnโt nearly as dramatic as the all-caps headlines might have you believe.
๐ฆ A Quick Recap of What Actually Happened:
- In June 2025, Buffalo acquired Conor Timmins in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
- The Sabres sent defenseman Connor Clifton and a second-round pick in return.
- Timmins, an RFA at the time, had arbitration rights โ but the Sabres avoided that by agreeing to a two-year deal.
- The signing happened on July 27, not โjust now.โ
๐ค Why the Fake Headline Went Viral
Clickbait headlines like this are becoming increasingly common in hockey media circles, especially on social platforms that thrive on drama, urgency, and emojis. The use of phrases like โJUST NOWโผ๏ธโ and exaggerated contract terms are meant to drive traffic โ often at the expense of truth.
Sabres fans, eager for any glimmer of good news after years of rebuild-mode hockey, were quick to latch onto the idea of a long-term commitment. But the reality is far less flashy.
๐ง Who Is Conor Timmins, Anyway?
Conor Timmins, 26, is a right-shot defenseman with top-four upside. Once a highly-touted prospect, heโs dealt with multiple injuries throughout his career, but has shown flashes of two-way reliability when healthy.
The two-year deal gives Buffalo a chance to evaluate him โ and gives Timmins an opportunity to prove he deserves a more permanent role (maybe then weโll see a real four-year extension).
๐ Final Thoughts
The moral of the story?
Donโt believe everything in all caps with dramatic emojis.
Conor Timmins is a solid depth addition for the Sabres, and his two-year deal represents smart business โ not a blockbuster, franchise-defining contract. As of now, there is no four-year extension, and he is not signed “until the end of…” anything beyond the 2026-27 season.
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